Meet 28mm | Electronic Music Producer & DJ

We had the good fortune of connecting with 28mm and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi 28mm, is there a quote or affirmation that’s meaningful to you?
I recently read a quote from Virgil Abloh where he says “Everything I do is for the 17-year-old version of myself”, and it’s something that has resonated with me for a while. I started my DJ/Production journey at that same age. I was about to graduate Highschool and move to New York hoping to make a name for myself and share my art. That’s when I started to play small bars and clubs. They weren’t the biggest rooms, but I knew if I kept pushing and improving I could play even bigger stages.

There’s been a lot of difficult moments and mental roadblocks along the way since then, but I’ll remind myself why I started in the first place. And how proud that 17-year-old version of myself would be.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I’ve always had a love for electronic music growing up but it wasn’t until I started DJ’ing that I finally found what made me feel most like myself. The adrenaline rush of playing music for a crowd of people is better than anything I’ve ever felt before. After learning how to produce my own music and collaborating with other artists; I felt even closer to the audience. I can see the change in their faces lighting up and dancing when they recognize a record. DJ’ing is all about providing a soundtrack to the night. I keep in mind how a record will sound in the club, at a festival, and on the radio. I’m a fan of Pop-driven songwriting and the energy of Dance music so I try to balance the the two when producing.

There were definitely challenges to get to where I am today, and so much of it feels like not that long ago. I started out living in New York City for college, going out on the weekend trying to meet promoters and club-owners while taking any DJ gigs I could get no matter how little the pay. I wanted to keep improving. I then made the decision to drop out of college after 2 years to move to Los Angeles and attend a music production school. It was a scary and risky move, but I was determined to see it through. I worked at a 9-5 job for a few years, still went out to clubs trying to network and find opportunities, all while producing music every single day on top of it. I eventually began to sign to my records to notable labels, playing to larger crowds, and touring more. I’ve met so many new people along the way that each have a little part in shaping who I am too. It was the friendships and guidance from those people who believed in what I was doing that got me through the toughest of times.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I’m a big fan of the visual arts and often use it as inspiration for my music so I would definitely take a friend to see an exhibition at The Museum of Contemporary Art, The Broad, or The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures. For food, there’s a really great Taiwanese restaurant in Mar Vista called Little Fatty. They also just opened a deli around the corner with some great sandwiches, pizza, rice bowls, craft beer, wine, and more if you want something quick. I love being by the water especially around golden hour, so I would visit Marina Del Rey to grab an ice cream from Salt & Straw along the beach. At night it’s time for the club usually either at Exchange in DTLA, Sound Nightclub or Academy in Hollywood; and of course some type of dark warehouse in an undisclosed for the afters.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I wouldn’t be where I am without the support of a lot of people in my life, and I feel blessed to have so many family and friends that do. A few people I think deserve a special shout are those that have been there with me since day one: Ian Wozniak, Ricardo Galbis, Julian Gray, Riccardo LeBron, and Chris Allderdice.

I’d like to thank my managers Matt Simpson and Matt Lange for believing in me, my music, and helping me grow as an artist. Also the mentorship and support of David Dann, who continues to guide me within the industry.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/its28mm/

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Other: https://soundcloud.com/its28mm

Image Credits
@stevengvisuals / @brianngo.photos